Where It Begins, Where It Ends
by punkwerewolf
Summary: She had always been afraid of living because Death had haunted her entire life, but when she met Embry Call she let herself believe for one brief moment that the intensity of love would save her from the same fate. But the end is near...Embry/OC
1. Prologue

I had always been afraid that history would repeat itself.

I should have known that history was indeed repeatable, that people didn't learn from the mistakes of their predecessors. But I hoped beyond hope that I had learnt from the mistakes of my own predecessors.

When I had been asked as a teenager what was the one thing I feared, I answered with the first thing that had popped into my head.

I feared leaving those I loved.

Like my mother had left me when I needed her more than anyone else.

Now I had Embry and people who needed and loved me, but I felt doomed to make the mistake my mother had.

I couldn't fight the inevitable, the storm cloud that surrounded my head with every movement and decision that brought me to this day.

I didn't want to see what I knew would happen.

Embry Call standing at the side of a grave, a beautiful little brown haired girl with eyes the same colour as my own, as they both bade goodbye to what I would become.

I didn't want to leave.

Embry needed me.

She needed me.

But even as I closed my eyes, I was haunted by the image of my funeral once more and the ever present La Push rain that wept down on the image of what had once been my very happy family.

Maybe it was in my genetics, maybe in 20 years the beautiful little girl that I had left behind would pass from the world and leave her own legacy behind her.

We were doomed. I had once called it my curse, but I had always had a flair for the dramatic.

But I couldn't deny that I would miss them both with all of my heart.

And I would be eternally sorry for leaving them behind to pick up the pieces of our happily ever after…

A/N: I had to get this out of my head, this story has been haunting me since before Christmas and I finally had to post it. I am not giving up on Lone, it will be back with many new updates very soon. But in the meantime, see if you want to give this a shot. Love you all xoxo


	2. Chapter 1: I Just Need

**A/N: I don't own Twilight, though I wish I owned Embry Call. **

**Chapter One: I Just Need…**

I looked up from the mass of papers that were strewn over our bed as I craned my head to listen to the sound of our front door squeaking open. I couldn't contain the bubble of laughter as I shook my head.

"I told you last week, that needed fixing…good thing you suck at sneaking in or I might think that we had a burglar in our midst."

"Ha Ha…very freaking funny…" The rich timbre of his voice floated through the house to our bedroom even as I went back to reading. Seeing as he had informed me he would be on Patrol until late, I had decided I might as well get some work done and even though he had tried unsuccessfully to sneak in for a shower and head to bed early I wasn't going to relinquish my position so easily.

Hey, I was stubborn. I readily admitted that the very first time I stood up to him.

"You know you are every boy's wet dream sitting there…like that…"

I looked up at the bedroom door at the sound of his voice, raising my eyebrow at the silliness of the statement. I was wearing one of his shirts that was probably three sizes too big for me, my reading glasses were perched on the tip of my nose and I had a pen stuck through the scrunched length of my hair on top of my head.

"Only to you…"

"Ain't that the truth…" He almost growled as he launched himself at the bed, paper and books scattering to the floor as he tackled me back on to our pillows. My grunt of disapproval being silenced by his lips, and I have to admit I really wasn't going to protest too much to being interrupted if this was how he was going to do it.

However, when my senses filled of him like this I was always keenly aware of the fact that I had work to do and he really _really_ needed a shower.

"Ugh…You smell like wet dog." I teased as his lips left my own, travelling on a well-travelled path down my jaw and across the valley of my neck. "Embry, seriously I have work I need to do and you need a shower."

He dropped his head against the hollow of my neck, his breathing evening out as he gathered himself, pushing himself up on his hands above me. His eyes glittered with mischief and desire, but I knew he would acquiesce to my request. It was the rule of imprints: have your wolf wrapped around your little finger and you will go far.

"I promise that once I have finished reading these last couple of pages you can knock me on the head and drag me back to your cave…" I teased as he slipped off the bed, picking up all of my research materials off the floor and placing them back beside me on the bed. "Em?"

"Yeah, I'll hold you to it…" He replied half-heartedly, leaning down to place my glasses back on my nose before he slipped out the bedroom door.

I couldn't help the frown that was etched across my forehead at his strange behaviour, but when I heard the shower running I thought I had better actually do some work before he came back.

The faint noise from the shower and the scratching of my pen on paper greeted me for the next half an hour or so before I finally finished what I was doing. I removed my glasses, stretching as I pulled my hair back into a pony tail, deciding I had time to read over the draft of my Essay before Embry made his presence known.

"Marry me…"

Huh?

I looked up from reading to see Embry standing in the doorway wearing only a pair of jeans, his face a mask of emotion as I sat there wondering if I had heard him right.

"What?"

"Marry me; I'm sick of people looking at us like we are different… I want to make sure that one of these days when I come home you haven't decided you hate being stuck here and leave… I don't want to have kids who know people are whispering about them behind their backs…I just want the white picket fence, and you in a white dress and a ring on your finger…I can't…"

I stood from the bed, my arms automatically entwining around his neck as I brought his head down to rest against my own.

"Em? Why would I leave? I love you remember?"

He mumbled something under his breath as he fought the urge to bring me closer to him. It was at that moment that I actually felt a tiny glimmer of fear erupt in my heart. If I didn't say yes, was this goodbye?

"But maybe that isn't enough anymore….Maybe I want more, is that so bad? Do you think I haven't been thinking about it? This isn't some stupid spirit of the moment thing…" He pulled away from me then, to cross over to the wardrobe, flinging the door open so fast that it shook on its hinges. He finally turned back to me when he had procured a small black box, his gaze flicking back up at me even as we stood as far apart as we could get.

"I bought it months ago…when I and Jake went to California for Mel's graduation. He was looking for something to buy her to wear with her grad gown and I went in with him…of course I did…I knew no one and I didn't really want to be stuck with Mel's crazy friends. But when I went in there, I swear I wasn't even looking for anything but when I saw this I thought of you. I could see you standing beside me at our wedding…at our son's first day of school…on our daughter's wedding day. It was made for you Ash, and I had to have it."

His voice trailed off at the end and I could see him shaking with anger at whatever else he was thinking. I knew I should probably move towards him, but for some reason something kept me rooted to the spot. I couldn't face this if I was within touching distance of that tiny little box.

He knew how I felt about marriage. My own family had been split apart by the heartbreak of being left behind, and since my mother's death, my father had been going through wives like I go through socks. I think I was up to my ninth step-mother; she was twenty-nine, a whopping seven years older than me with a pair of boobs my dad's money had bought her and a nose to match.

I had been adamant from the very beginning of our relationship that I didn't trust myself to get married. Especially with the magical bond of imprinting that held us together. I had thought that it would be enough for the both of us to live relatively happily ever after. And if one day something happened, we could both be relinquished from our ties to each other. I had always believed it would be easier to pick up the pieces if he never put a ring on my finger.

But, since moving in together I had been fighting the urge for this. I wanted it. And I wasn't brave enough to ever voice the thought in case it jinxed everything we stood for.

"Jake thought I was insane for buying it, twenty-two is young to be thinking of forever but I was nineteen when I found my soul mate. I really don't think anyone wouldn't see this coming…"

I didn't really know if Embry was continuing to talk to me or justifying to himself why we should or shouldn't get married.

"I've been trying to work up the guts to ask you since I came back, I wanted it to be romantic and special but every time I think it's the right time something happens where I say to myself 'not tonight, tomorrow will be better'. I've been saying it every day since I got back… Hell, Sam and Emily got married last year, god knows that Jared and Kim are probably going to arrange a shot gun wedding any time soon…so why not us? Jacob got his happy ending, why can't we?"

It was with that last growl of frustration that he hurled the box towards the wall, my flinch probably provoking the anger that still flashed in his eyes. He looked hurt that I couldn't do the one thing he wanted, that I couldn't overcome my own insecurities to make a dream come true.

"I'm going to go sleep at Jake's tonight…I'll come get my stuff in the morning. You pay most of the rent, it's only right that you stay here."

My heart dropped, tears glistening in my eyes as he turned to grab a bag and unceremoniously stuff some clothes into it.

I moved towards the wall, bending down to pick up the dented little box. Running my fingertips over the lid as I listened to the finality of the zipper of his bag doing up, looking up just in time to see him pull on a shirt and turn back to me.

"You know…I saw this differently…in my head. I thought you'd jump into my arms and pronounce love or some shit, but I should have known that I was stupid. I thought you being my imprint would be different, but no one has ever wanted me. Hell my own Dad didn't want me. Why should you be any different…?"

"Embry…" I choked back a sob as I collapsed onto the end of the bed, my fingers still wrapped around the box as if it was my only life line left. "I've always wanted you, you can't think that…"

A clap of thunder drowned out my words, but as I went to open my mouth again, Embry turned and stormed out the door. The rain started even as the door slammed behind him.

How had this night turned out so terrible?

I couldn't…

I couldn't let it end this way.

Before I knew it I was running out the front door and out into the rain, wrenching the door open to Embry's truck before he had a chance to kick me out. I found myself throwing my arms around him, praying that he wouldn't push me away.

"Ash…go back inside…" His hands had automatically came to rest on my hips, he was breathing slowly in an attempt to stop himself from unleashing his rage towards me.

I shook my head, releasing my hold on him for a few short moments so that I could put the dreaded box on the dash of his truck.

"Ash…Don't make this any harder than it already is…"

"Embry…! Please..."

He nodded his consent, even as I chewed on my bottom lip as I searched for the right words to say. I pushed myself away so that I could sit beside him, my hand reaching out to grip his in an attempt to find some of the bravery I needed for this conversation.

"It took you three months to convince me I should move in with you, I admit I have commitment issues and before you I never expected to have a relationship like this. But you imprinting on me? I never ever saw something like this happening… I wanted to be able to walk out, but now I don't want to leave. I can't think of not being here with you, Embry…I love you, I will always love you forever…"

I could feel another couple of tears rolling down my cheeks, but with the gentle brush of Embry's fingers across my skin I knew that I still had a chance to fix this mess I'd made of our relationship.

"I'm scared. God, Embry…I work three jobs and I squeeze in studying for a University degree I don't know if I'll ever finish because I can never seem to make up my mind. I'm not like Mel who has a life plan for the next ten years, and I'm not Emily who can be the housewife while her husband does everything for her, I'm not them and I'm not your mother… I'm not going to pack up and leave when everything gets too hard for us to handle…I'm not going to get knocked up and run away because I can't deal with the thought of having a child out of wedlock. I'm here for the long haul, I promise."

"I didn't answer you because I don't want to marry you, I didn't answer because I thought you knew that I want what you want. I just couldn't admit it to myself… so when you are ready…" I leaned over to grab the box and place it in the hand that I had previously been holding. "Or if you even still want to…ask me again one day… maybe the answer will surprise both of us."

As I turned to open the car door, I felt Embry's hand enclose around my wrist, hauling me backwards to stop my hasty retreat. I noticed that the box was once more sitting on the dash but he was fiddling with something in his hand.

"Ashley Spence, despite all of our faults, we do love each other…and maybe we aren't the perfect couple but I know that I don't want to spend another night without you wearing this ring. Will you marry me, Ash?"

He gripped my left hand, his warm touch making me shiver as we sat staring at each other.

"Yes. If I have to spend the rest of my life telling you that, I will. Now…how about you let me see that ring?"

Embry could barely contain his excitement as he fitted the tiny white gold band around my finger, the stone sparkling up at me for a few seconds before my gaze was drawn back to Embry. "I love you, Embry Call."

"Good thing I love you too…and I'm kind of glad you came out here… I didn't really want to listen to Jake and Mel hump all night while I stare at the ceiling on their lumpy old sofa…"

I laughed at the prospect, but soon found myself silence by his lips.

If every single one of our fights ended as good as this one, maybe we were meant to be forever and always.

"Now…what was it you said about me dragging you back to my cave so I could have my way with you?"

"Funny, I don't remember saying that exactly like that."

"Well…hate to break it to you princess, but you are in my cave right now and I don't really want to let you run all the way back to the house while it's raining…so maybe we should kiss and make up?"

I never got to answer as his lips descended on mine, his hand tugging at my ring finger as we lost ourselves to kissing and making up.

I have to admit, fights with Embry Call always ended up with us fogging up windows.

I think it has to do with the Werewolf heat… who am I kidding? I know exactly what it's from.

Maybe marrying Embry Call wouldn't be so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 2: Can You Keep a Secret?

**Disclaimer: I only own Ash and the storyline, everything else belongs to SM.**

**A/N: Finally updated and named Embry's Dad, feel free to argue with me or agree.**

**Chapter Two: Can You Keep A Secret?**

_Six months later…_

"Come on…show me…" He pleaded even as I attempted to squirm out of his grasp, my sides were aching from giggling so much and I had a feeling that I was going to be sore for days after this tickle war that Embry had unleashed on me.

"I told you…It's supposed to be a secret…Bad luck and all that…" I broke off into laughter again as his fingers dug in to a particularly ticklish spot under my ribs, my hands pressing up against the brick wall that was his chest in an attempt to get away.

"I don't want to wait…show me…"

"Embry Call! If you do not stop torturing that girl this minute I will put you over my knee, you may be bigger than I am but you aren't big enough that I can't give you a clip around the ear." I laughed as Tiffany Call yelled at her son, her looming figure appearing in the lounge room doorway. Her shadow crossing over the lounge as Embry paused above my prone body.

"But…"

"No buts Mister, now behave while you are in my house."

I could see her shadow leave the doorway before Embry began to grumble under his breath. I giggled as I leaned up to place a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Yeah Embry…behave yourself."

"I wouldn't be so sarcastic, who is going to save you from me in approximately seventeen days, 14 hours and 39 minutes?"

I shrugged innocently, poking him in the ribs as he hauled himself up to a seated position. I shifted, moving so I was stretched out with my head in his lap. His fingers running absent-mindedly across my forehead and down across my nose. I could feel myself relaxing beneath his touch, my eyelids fluttering shut as my mind wandered to the thousand other things that I had to do in eighteen days. I wasn't like Embry; I wasn't going to be counting down the seconds and minutes until I walked down the aisle. If I did I was going to get way more stressed than I actually was.

"Are you sure I can't come tomorrow?"

I cracked one of my eyes open, frowning up at Embry as I tried to recall what I had to do tomorrow. At the look on his face I couldn't help the blush that crept over my cheeks.

"You can come…I guess I could use my big fuzzy protector to hold my bags." At the look of victory on his face, I sat up, shaking my head at him as I tried to hold off the happiness that always exuded from me when he was around. "But you have to promise not to look in any bags that I deem secret and when it comes to my dress…you aren't allowed to even go in the shop."

"But…"

"No Em, I want this to be secret. I want to take your breath away when you see me."

"That happens anyway…"

"Ugh huh…Flattery will get you nowhere on this one, Embry Call. Take it or stay here and guard your Mum's house."

* * *

I was playing with my food.

I could remember distinctly being told that this was both rude and un-ladylike but right now I was trying to avoid getting stuck in an awkward conversation about sleeping arrangements.

"I've made up the guest room for you to sleep in tonight Ash, and Embry can take the lounge…"

"Seriously, Mum? You want us to sleep in separate beds? We have been living together for two years, do you really think we haven't f…"

Embry was silenced as I _accidentally_ kicked his shin under the table, becoming exceedingly thankful that I had decided to wear shoes into the dining room. His growl of annoyance was directed at me, even as Tiffany shot the two of us a motherly 'I know what you just did' look.

"Embry Call…what happens in your house is your business and I will not have you keeping me awake all night. You will sleep in separate beds…" She caught Embry's look of disapproval, waving her finger at him in a way that I couldn't help but laugh at.

"But…"

"Embry…"

"Okay, okay…I'll…stay on the couch." Embry finally conceded, slouching in his chair as he rolled his eyes at me across the table.

I tried to stifle the giggle that was rising in my chest, even as I heard Tiffany begin to lecture Embry on the proper manners he should exhibit at the dinner table.

I loved his Mum.

Ugh…I felt like I was suffocating.

I was just coming awake as I searched for the reason why it was so stifling hot when I felt a soothing hand stroking across my back. I immediately came awake, knocking my head on his concrete chin. My hand stretching up to rub the spot as I attempted to put some distance between the two of us.

"Embry, what the hell are you doing in here?"

He had the sense to look at least a little bit guilty, propping himself up on a couple of the pillows as he released a sigh. "I missed you?"

At the look of disbelief on my face, Embry ran his fingers through his hair before snuggling back down into the bed.

"Okay, I just didn't want to stay down there when I knew you were up here and I hate sleeping by myself. Plus, do you know how damn hard that couch is? I'm sure she has been hoarding it for longer than I've been alive and for the last half an hour I've had a spring sticking into my side."

I rolled my eyes at him, wondering exactly how I was supposed to believe all of the excuses he tried to lay on me.

"Em, if you get caught up here she is going to remove your testicles and ruin all hopes of you ever providing her with grand-children."

"So you're not kicking me out?"

He looked like a kid in a candy store, his eyes sparkling with mischief in the dark as I tried to remain serious.

"Just shut up and go to sleep before she comes in here and kills you."

With another growl, Embry crawled into bed, curling his warmth around me even as he pulled me to snuggle into the expanse of his chest. It was amazing how easily I caved when it came to this wolf.

* * *

After a struggle to get all of our bags through Tiffany's front door, I found myself collapsing haphazardly on the couch. Praying that someone would cut my feet off and return them when they had stopped aching, I really didn't want to spend another minute in another shop for the next year after today. I had never met anyone who could shop as much as Tiffany, who had dragged us both in every shop we walked pass. Even going so far as to continue to buy stuff that we assured her we didn't need, proclaiming that it was her 'engagement gift' to us. However, the biggest moment had been when I had finally picked up my dress. Banishing Embry to the food court to wait for us, while Tiffany spent the entire time gushing over my dress.

"Embry…can you go and order us a pizza? I know I promised you a hot home cooked meal, but I really think we may all fall asleep before I can get it on the table."

Tiffany had sunk down into the armchair beside me, her high heels sitting discarded on the floor even as she motioned Embry to the door. It was a testament to how tired he was that he didn't even argue, grabbing his wallet before disappearing out the door.

I had somehow fallen asleep, when Tiffany spoke again.

"Ash, I know we don't ever really have a serious conversation but I know your Dad isn't really interested in having a conversation about relationships, mainly because his track record isn't that brilliant…but anyway I wanted to let you know that if you ever need me I can be there in a couple of hours. I might be in Seattle now, but La Push was my home for a long time…"

I was now wide awake.

I had no idea what she was trying to talk about but I knew I needed my brain switched on to understand whatever she was about to say. She had never really told Embry who is Dad was, and as far as I knew he had his suspicions but would never confront her about it.

"I'm a Makah, but Embry's Dad was Quileute. We never really saw eye to eye on anything while we were together, but I loved him almost as much as you obviously love my son. When I was raising him I knew I was making mistakes, I was a checkout chick and sometimes we lived pay check to pay check, but I tried to do everything I could to ensure one day he would be able to have all the things I couldn't give him. I thought for a while, that I had ruined Embry, corrupted him with my prejudice and my anger at not having his father take full responsibility for him but now that I see him with you I know that he is happy."

Oh god, I knew where this conversation was going. Why in the hell had she sent him away when she was on the verge of telling the one secret she had been carrying around with her for twenty three years! God, I didn't think I could deal with this secret for five seconds after she told me!

"When I left La Push after he finished school, I knew he would stay with his friends…he has never said anything but I think he has a suspicion about his true heritage. And I guess I always wanted to tell him but I knew that he would ask questions about why…"

"Tiffany, you don't have to say anything. Embry is happy, he doesn't need to know…"

"But you do. Your children need to know that they had a grandfather who begged to be in Embry's life when he was a baby, he even sent us money when we needed it most, found me the house when I first moved to La Push."

Why couldn't she talk slower? Or why couldn't Embry be getting that damn pizza quicker?

She reached over to grab my hand, reaching a finger up to right my engagement ring, a look of nostalgia appearing on her face as she drew in a sigh. "He was working on the Res when I met him, I didn't even know he was married and when I finally found out he promised to leave his wife." She gave this half-hearted laugh, letting go of my hand as she stared down at the coffee table in front of her. "Guess I'm not the first woman to fall for that same stupid line, but I was young and stupid. And when I found out I was pregnant with Embry he flipped, he already had a son…He really didn't want to be stuck with another kid and soon enough he went back to La Push and I found myself following him…When Embry was born, he came to the hospital…his son had fallen off the lounge and broken his arm, but he held him…And that was when I came to the conclusion that I couldn't take him away from his family just so Embry could know him. Sam and Allison needed him more than I did, but I had never counted on Joshua packing up and fleeing La Push no more than three years later."

Joshua Uley? Embry had been taking orders from his _brother _most of his life?

We had always had our suspicions, everyone did. But to actually _know_? It was so much different.

"I know you probably didn't want to know, but you deserved to know Ash. You and Embry are so blissful and perfect together, I don't want you to think that all relationships are doomed to failure. Maybe when you and Embry have children you can take them to visit their Uncle, I know Embry and he are close."

I reached over to hug her, overcome by this intense feeling that it had taken a lot of courage to tell me all of this.

"Thank you…"

"You and he deserve to know, but Ash?" She paused as she drew away to look at me, a very serious looking expression on her face. "Don't make me a grandmother just yet?"

I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips, nodding quickly as we both slipped back into normal casual conversation. Only stopping when the door flung open and my very handsome fiancé stepped through the door carrying a stack of pizza's.

"Seriously Embry, how many people do you think are eating tonight?"

He shrugged sheepishly, kicking the door shut behind him before crossing the room to flop on the floor at our feet. Flicking a lid open before shoving nearly an entire slice into his mouth, chewing obnoxiously as he looked up at me.

"Who said I was giving you any? You have a dress to fit into…"

I don't know if he was going to say anything else because somehow a pillow spontaneously lifted itself into my hands and came crashing down on that big fat head of his.


End file.
